2007.04.30

[Better_Late_Than_Never: NIN_in_Vienna_3/30]

Well, friends, for reasons I will explain shortly, I'm still MORTALLY OFFENDED by Gabriel, the so-called revolutionary, and I WILL have my revenge, but first things first. Let's go back to happier days, shall we? Days when the WTC'ers admired elaborate cream-colored Baroque buildings, when we conquered yet another European public transportation system, when we were charmed by every Austrian we met, when Gabriel inadvertently ordered white sausages and discovered that they were good, when I finally lived my personal European dream and ate Apfelstrudel in Vienna...sigh. [Would anyone in Vienna like to adopt me? I can speak German halfway decently, and I will work for pastry. Schicken Sie mir eine Email, bitte!]

On our second day in this lovely city, we were concerned about Dierdre, who was suffering from a migraine (and having suffered through a migraine while riding on a train from Rome to Pompeii, I can assure you that being in an exciting European location does not make this condition any easier to endure), and we were a bit baffled by Trent's performance the evening before. Although from where I was sitting, the 3/29 show sounded perfect, those down in the pit were concerned that Trent's performance was rather mechanical and half-hearted. Well, we now know that there happened to be a number of upsetting personal issues for Trent that could have contributed to this perception, but since we weren't aware of any of these, we just blamed the whole thing on Rob Sheridan and his nefarious Trentbot, which we presumed he invented after the real Trent fell into a coma and was hidden somewhere in an underground vault in Iceland. Trentbot, you see, would keep the NIN machine going in Trent's absence and would ensure that Rob could continue to get laid. That was the theory, anyway. We found the idea of another Trentbot performance distressing, but we hoped for the best as we rode the U-Bahn to the Gasometer that evening.

I need to give props to whoever transformed the Gasometer from an actual gas tank into a mall/concert venue. The acoustics are (to my untrained ghostly ear) fantastic, and the security staff could not be any more efficient and polite. They detected every lit cigarette in the crowd and ensured its extinguishment, and if anyone was causing trouble in the pit, he/she was hoisted out immediately. If you asked them questions, you received a considerate answer. I didn't even feel manhandled during my pat-down on the way in and was complimented on my German on top of it. Delightful! The venue is small and intimate, and even when we arrived perhaps only half an hour or so before the show, we could still get close to the stage. In fact, the only thing keeping me from being only a few rows away from Trent was my claustrophobia. So on 3/30, I was hanging out by the sound board, approximately 10 feet away from Rob Sheridan most of the evening, who is kind of shorter and skinnier than I had imagined. It actually was kind of interesting to observe all the work going on at the sound board, but since you're more interested in video footage of Trent with a tambourine, I'll move on.

The evening began, of course, with Ladytron, who really impressed me on both nights. Previously, I had only been aware of their music via this fanfiction horror, but even then, I wondered, "Who does this catchy song?" There is a part of me that wishes I were a member of Ladytron, with an impenetrable coolness and a super-cute bob, but alas! That will never be me. Give me a moment to weep over my messy house, tedious day-job with looming deadlines, and the 10 pounds I need to lose pronto.

Okay. On to NIN! Check out the setlist, everyone! It was VERY exciting to hear so much from The Downward Spiral, especially "Heresy" and "The Becoming," (see below) both of which I had always wanted to hear live. Check out Trent busting out the um...electric coconut for "Piggy." There was a funny moment for me personally, as during the major Downward Spiral portion of the setlist at the beginning of the show, I saw the guys at the soundboard literally run out of the room with some computer screen. They returned during "Last," so I thought to myself, "Oh no, the Trentbot must have gotten stuck in Downward Spiral-mode!"

But luckily for us, Trentbot was nowhere to be found, and we got the REAL Trent Reznor, in all of his fist-fucking glory. Those who were in the pit said that the difference between the shows on 3/29 and 3/30 was like night and day, which is heartening news. One would hate to think that Trent was mortally afflicted with ennui. Other highlights for me that night included "Last," "Mr. Self Destruct," and "Get Down, Make Love." Oh, and I totally enjoyed inappropriate WHOO-ing during "La Mer." What is with that? Makes me wonder if back in the day, there were those who heard the first notes of the "Moonlight Sonata" and screamed, "WHOOOO! OMG, LUDWIG, I LOVE YOU! C-SHARP MINOR, YEAH!"

So, yeah. We were rocked. We were rocked hard. Oh, and JR? Gabriel had to buy a new shirt afterwards because his was completely soaked through with l'orangerie sweat. I'm sure if you had asked, he could have wrung his shirt out into your open, waiting mouth and then slapped you in the face with it a couple of times. Oh, but you weren't there, were you? Pity.

I shall leave you all with what you all REALLY want--footage of Trent rocking the fucking tambourine like the naughty girl's Davy Jones. Enjoy!

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Comments

Nice review Maise and thanks for helping a girl out. You'll have me reminiscing all day. -Sigh- But that also means that I should have some more remembrances by the time lunch rolls around. Good times, man.

And, dear readers, there's still a couple videos that didn't make it in the post so be sure to check them out here.

Although it is kind of mean of you to be teasing JR like that. Remember when Gabriel did try to wring out his shirt afterwards just to show how wet we all got in the pit? Couldn’t. get. a. drop. Much to our amusement. That's not to say that we weren't totally soaked through because we were. Poor guy. I will say if there was a drop to be dripped he would have gotten it but Vienna soil just wasn't meant to absorb Gabriel's perspiration.

Posted by: Iris | Apr 30, 2007 5:33:32 AM

"A naughty girl's Davy Jones"?! Nice one.

Fucking Trent. You know what this night and day difference between the two nights tells me about him? That bitch wasn't lying when he said his heart was a whore. Fucking migraine!

Trent, honey? you better fucking burn the venue in Prague down to the fucking ground. I must have satisfaction!

Posted by: Dierdre | Apr 30, 2007 7:44:10 AM

Also, I think it should be pointed out that maybe it's not the wisest idea to smoke out your audience before the show even starts, as we suspected that the smoke may have contributed to Dierdre's killer migraine...

Posted by: maise | Apr 30, 2007 8:17:55 AM

Dierdre I'm hoping that you noticed this too since it was on the night you were there. You know how during "Hurt" Trent sings with his eyes closed? That night you could see his eyelids fluttering (more specifically his left one) which means one of two things:

1. He was on the lookout for flying shit such as lighters from asshat audience members (which still pisses me off to no end. Why would you throw shit at the band you presumably paid money to see?)

-OR-

2. Trentbot was starting to malfunction (this could have been a warning sign that "Trentbot is stuck in Downward Spiral mode" for the following night)

No eyelid fluttering was noticed during the second show. The audience was much more amped up so there weren’t peaceful moments to just ogle Trent. That and he was faced sideways instead of straight out at the audience.

Posted by: Iris | Apr 30, 2007 10:24:50 AM

I'm gonna have to live vicariously through you guys, since due to various things I won't go into, I doubt I'll ever go to any concerts. Wah wah wah.

I was totally spitting venom when I first heard about the european tour. Ladytron are one of my favourite bands, so seeing them supporting NIN would have been all kinds of awesome. Not to mention that I first heard about it on my birthday. I was so full of undirected teenage angst that day that it wasn't even funny.
BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME.

It sounds like you guys had an awesome time. Well, er, except maybe Deirdre with that migraine. Bad luck D! You can share in my teenage angst if you want.

I totally love you guys for posting videos of tambourine!Trent. Let's be BFFs. ♥

Posted by: RainbowVomit | Apr 30, 2007 11:08:15 AM

Thank you very much for posting this smorgasboard of NIN goodness.

However, I'm still confused as to what an eletric coconut actually IS...

Posted by: Rubicon | Apr 30, 2007 1:18:37 PM

However, I'm still confused as to what an eletric coconut actually IS..

Perhaps it was carried by an electric swallow...

Posted by: maise | Apr 30, 2007 3:08:04 PM

Iris said:

Remember when Gabriel did try to wring out his shirt afterwards just to show how wet we all got in the pit? Couldn’t. get. a. drop. Much to our amusement...Vienna soil just wasn't meant to absorb Gabriel's perspiration.

Perspiration? That shit's like HOLY WATER.

And how great am I that I've had such an impact that even when you are posting luv letters to your honeybaby Trent, you still think of me. I mean, I'm honestly flattered.

That said, back to the matter at hand. I think Trent was wearing a shirt under that jacket--that's just some wishful thinking. And you're wrong about the tambourine--Trent isn't the dirty girl's Davy Jones. Davy rocked the maracas. I guess that makes Trent the dirty girl's Stevie Nicks...or maybe Liam Gallagher.

Maybe I was always more of a Micky fan, but I was one HELL of a Monkees fan, Maise. I even had a Monkees jacket. But that's not the point.

I guess there's something else that Davy and Trenty have in common: their like identical in height.

Posted by: JR | Apr 30, 2007 4:31:56 PM

You had a Monkees jacket?

Wow.

Posted by: Angelman | Apr 30, 2007 4:47:04 PM

I'm hoping your Monkee's jacket was as bright yellow as that one Maise linked up to. Now that's some yellow. Yikes!

Posted by: Iris | Apr 30, 2007 4:50:36 PM

It was a tour jacket, and it rocked my socks off. It was a black satin baseball silhouette with a Monkees logo on the back.

Y'all don't even know the depths. I could easily write for Wearing These _____________ (fill in the blank with something appropriately Monkees-specific).

Posted by: JR | Apr 30, 2007 4:57:13 PM

And how the hell do you know if Trent was wearing a shirt underneath his jacket or not? Were you like hiding out in his fucking dressing room or something? (Liar)

There were other times during that show that we...okay, no, I was with guys...I noticed the bottom of Trent's jacket come up and there was no sign of a shirt there either, just a little furry treasure trail. -sigh- Unfortunately I have no photographic or video evidence to back up my claim. Dammit!

Posted by: Iris | Apr 30, 2007 5:00:54 PM

Iris, I know *lots* of things.

Like THE TRUTH.

And the things you don't want to admit to. The Love (Luv?) That Dare Not Speak It's Name.

Posted by: JR | Apr 30, 2007 5:04:52 PM

I used to have a picture of Molly Ringwald on my bulletin board.

Posted by: angelman | Apr 30, 2007 5:05:36 PM

Oh Angelman, you naughty boy.

Posted by: JR | Apr 30, 2007 5:07:26 PM

oh and check how sweet my website is coming along - check the "band" section. Look at what a bad ass I am.

www.re-igniting-the-sun.com

Posted by: angelman | Apr 30, 2007 5:08:28 PM

JR, I too was a Micky girl...to the point where I accepted, if not quite embraced, the 'fro.

Never had the tour jacket, though. Perhaps I have been out-Monkee'ed.

Posted by: maise | Apr 30, 2007 5:08:57 PM

Angelman, hon, I'd pay you cash money** to just change your URL to www.reignitingthesun.com. MUCH easier to remember.

Yes. I used to be all about dogs but this cat is the best. Love that fat little cat.

Posted by: Angelman | Apr 30, 2007 5:13:22 PM

How about re-igniting-the-sun.biz? Is that easier to remember? I think that's free.

Posted by: JR | Apr 30, 2007 5:14:13 PM

Well, in that case, let's go for...

www.re-Igniting_THE_sun-6347.biz

Posted by: maise | Apr 30, 2007 5:15:56 PM

Oh, in pet news...on Friday, my chinchilla totally intimidated my greyhound. The chinchilla had just come back from a visit to the vet and wasn't taking any more shit from anyone. The dog sniffed at her cage, she charged it, and the dog backed off.